Endoscopic Spine Surgery Specialist

What is endoscopic spine surgery?

Surgeons use an endoscope, a hollow tube with a built-in light and camera, in endoscopic spine surgery. The camera views your spine from the inside and relays real-time images to a nearby monitor. The surgeon then uses the monitor to review images during the surgery. 

This technique provides a highly detailed view of the damaged portion of your spine, which allows for maximum precision during surgery. 

The team uses specialized surgical tools, which also fit through the endoscope, to remove, repair, or reposition damaged bone and tissue in your spine. 

Because the slender endoscope fits through a tiny incision, the procedure requires minimal tissue disruption, unlike traditional spine surgery. 

What conditions does endoscopic spine surgery treat?

Endoscopic spine surgery treats quite a few spine conditions, injuries, and diseases, including:

• Chronic back and leg pain (sciatica)
• Osteoarthritis
• Severe disc herniation
• Fractures
• Degenerative disc disease
• Spinal stenosis
• Facet arthropathy

Endoscopic spine surgery may also be the right treatment for other conditions, diseases, and injuries within the back and neck.  

Am I a candidate for endoscopic spine surgery?

To evaluate your candidacy for endoscopic spine surgery, the team at Michigan Advanced Surgical Center, PLLC, will administer a comprehensive physical exam and medical history review. They will also utilize imaging tests such as X-rays, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), or computed tomography (CT) scans. 

Endoscopic spine surgery is a remarkably effective way to address many chronic pain conditions, but it's not a first-line treatment. In general, you can qualify for this type of surgery only if you've tried non-operative approaches, including physical therapy, medication, lifestyle modifications, and spinal injections, first. 

If your pain persists after trying non-operative treatments, and you're a good candidate, the team may recommend endoscopic spine surgery. 

What are the advantages of endoscopic spine surgery?

Endoscopic spine surgery offers many advantages as compared to traditional methods of spine surgery, including:

• Less pain
• Less bleeding 
• Faster healing 
• Minimized infection risk
• Minimized scarring 

In general, recovery is far easier with endoscopic spine surgery, so the experienced surgical team at Michigan Advanced Surgical Center, PLLC, uses this approach over traditional spine surgery when possible. 

However, the traditional approach may be necessary for certain situations, such as extreme spinal instability, severe spondylolisthesis, cauda equina syndrome, and cancer. 

To find out whether endoscopic spine surgery can help you, call Michigan Advanced Surgical Center, PLLC, today.